Fish bait jigger

Abstract

A fish bait jigger imparts motion to the fish bait of a fishing pole or the like that is not held by a fisherman. The fish bait jigger comprises a small electric motor and battery mounted in a housing that is removably attached to the fishing pole. A roller is mounted to the motor shaft. The fish line is placed over the periphery of the roller. The roller is rotated by the motor to produce an eccentric motion to the roller periphery, thereby jigging the bait. The roller periphery may be circular or non-circular.

I claim: 
     
       1. A fish bait jigger comprising: a. housing means for attaching to a selected piece of fishing equipment;   b. an electric motor having a shaft and being mounted in the housing means;   c. a single roller having a longitudinal axis and a periphery and being connected to the motor shaft for having the roller periphery rotated eccentrically about the motor shaft, the roller periphery being in contact through a subtended angle of less than 180 degrees with a fish line tied to the selected piece of fishing equipment; and   d. power means for selectively rotating the motor, so that the fish line placed in contact with the roller periphery during rotation thereof will have a reciprocating motion imparted to the fish line free end.     
     
     
       2. The fish bait jigger of claim 1 wherein the roller periphery is circular. 
     
     
       3. A fish bait jigger comprising: a. housing means for attaching to a selected piece of fishing equipment, wherein the housing means comprises:   i. a tubular member having a longitudinal axis and a wall;   ii. a hub formed in the tubular member wall at a generally right angle to the longitudinal axis thereof, an electric motor being mounted in the hub; and   iii. retainer means joined to the tubular member wall for removably gripping the selected piece of fishing equipment;   b. a roller having a longitudinal axis and a periphery and being connected to the motor shaft for having the roller periphery rotated eccentrically about the motor shaft; and   c. power means for selectively rotating the motor,   so that a fish line tied to the selected piece of fishing equipment and placed in contact with the roller periphery during rotation thereof will have a reciprocating motion imparted to the fish line free end.   
     
     
       4. The fish bait jigger of claim 3 wherein: a. one end of the housing is open and one end of the housing is closed; and   b. the housing means further comprises a cap for tightly sealing the housing open end.   
     
     
       5. A fish bait jigger comprising: a. housing means for attaching to a selected piece of fishing equipment;   b. an electric motor having a shaft and being mounted in the housing means;   c. a roller having a longitudinal axis and a circular periphery and being connected to the motor shaft for having the roller periphery rotated eccentrically about the motor shaft, wherein:   i. the roller periphery is concentric with the longitudinal axis thereof; and   ii. the roller defines a plurality of longitudinal holes parallel to and at different radial distances from the longitudinal axis; and   d. power means for selectively rotating the motor,   so that a fish line tied to the selected piece of fishing equipment and placed in contact with the roller periphery during rotation thereof will have a reciprocating motion imparted to the fish line free end and the amount of reciprocation of the fish line free end can be varied by connecting different holes in the roller to the electric motor shaft.   
     
     
       6. Apparatus for producing reciprocating motion to the line of a fishing pole or the like comprising: a. a roller having a longitudinal axis and a non-circular periphery in contact with the line, the roller periphery contacting the line through a subtended angle of less than 180 degrees about the roller longitudinal axis;   b. electric motor means for rotating the roller; and   c. housing means removably attached to the fishing pole or the like for mounting the motor means therein,   so that rotating the motor means imparts an eccentric motion to the roller periphery and a corresponding reciprocation to the line.   
     
     
       7. Apparatus for producing reciprocating motion to the line of a fishing pole or the like comprising: a. a roller having a longitudinal axis and a non-circular periphery in contact with the line;   b. electric motor means for rotating the roller; and   c. housing means removably attached to the fishing pole or the like for mounting the motor means therein, wherein the housing means comprises: i. a tube having a longitudinal axis;   ii. a hollow hub joined to the tube and extending therefrom at a generally right angle to the longitudinal axis; and   iii. retainer means joined to the tube for removably attaching the tube to the fishing pole or the like,     so that rotating the motor means imparts an eccentric motion to the roller periphery and a corresponding reciprocation to the line.   
     
     
       8. The apparatus of claim 7 wherein the motor means comprises: a. an electric motor mounted in the hub and having a shaft that extends outside the hub; and   b. power means inserted in the tube for selectively energizing the motor.   
     
     
       9. The apparatus of claim 7 wherein the tube has an open end and a closed end, and wherein the housing means further comprises cap means for selectively sealing the housing open end. 
     
     
       10. In combination with a fishing pole having a longitudinal axis, a fish line, means for storing the fish line, and means for guiding the fish line, a fish bait jigger comprising: a. housing means for being removably attached to the fishing pole;   b. a motor having a shaft and being mounted in the housing means; and   c. an eccentric roller having a longitudinal axis and periphery means concentric with the longitudinal axis and in contact with the fish line between the means for storing the fish line on the fishing pole and the means for guiding the fish line on the fishing pole for being rotated eccentrically by the motor shaft, the periphery means being in contact with the fish line through a subtended angle of less than 180 degrees about the roller longitudinal axis,   so that the free end of the fish line undergoes reciprocating motion in response to the eccentric rotation of the eccentric roller periphery means.   
     
     
       11. The combination of claim 10 wherein: a. the eccentric roller periphery means is formed as a circle; and   b. the eccentric roller defines a hole having an axis parallel to and at a predetermined radial distance from the longitudinal axis, the hole being connected to the motor shaft,   so that the eccentric roller can be rotated by the motor shaft about the hole axis and thereby have the eccentric roller circular periphery rotate eccentrically.   
     
     
       12. The combination of claim 10 wherein: a. the eccentric roller periphery means is in the form of a circle;   b. the eccentric roller defines a plurality of holes having respective axes parallel to and at respective different predetermined radial distances from the longitudinal axis,   so that the eccentric roller can be connected to the motor shaft by selected different holes to have the eccentric roller circular periphery rotate eccentrically and thereby produce different reciprocating motions to the free end of the fish line.   
     
     
       13. In combination with a fishing pole having a longitudinal axis, a fish line, means for storing the fish line, and means for guiding the fish line, a fish bait jigger comprising: a. housing means for being removably attached to the fishing pole, wherein the housing means comprises: i. a tubular member having a wall and a longitudinal axis generally parallel to the fishing pole longitudinal axis;   ii. a hollow hub joined to and extending from the tubular member at a generally right angle thereto; and   iii. retainer means joined to the tubular member for removably attaching the housing to the fishing pole with the housing longitudinal axis being generally parallel to the fishing pole longitudinal axis;     b. a motor having a shaft and being mounted in the housing means, and   c. an eccentric roller having a longitudinal axis and periphery means concentric with the longitudinal axis and in contact with the fish line between the means for storing the fish line on the fishing pole and the means for guiding the fish line one the fishing pole for being rotated eccentrically by the motor shaft,   so that the free end of the fish line undergoes reciprocating motion in response to the eccentric rotation of the eccentric roller periphery means.   
     
     
       14. A method of jigging fish bait comprising the steps of: a. providing a fishing pole having a fish line with a free end and a second end stored on the fishing pole;   b. tying a bait to the fish line free end;   c. providing a single roller with a periphery and a longitudinal axis concentric therewith;   d. placing the periphery of the roller in contact through a subtended angle of less than 180 degrees about the roller longitudinal axis with the fish line proximate the second end thereof; and   e. eccentrically rotating the roller periphery to thereby cause the fish line free end to reciprocate and jig the bait.   
     
     
       15. The method of claim 14 wherein: a. the step of placing the periphery of a roller in contact with the fish line comprises the step of providing a roller with a circular periphery; and   b. the step of eccentrically rotating the roller periphery comprises the step of rotating the roller about an axis that is non-concentric with the roller periphery.   
     
     
       16. The method of claim 14 wherein: a. the step of placing the periphery of a roller in contact with the fish line comprises the step of providing a roller with a non-circular periphery; and   b. the step of eccentrically rotating the roller periphery comprises the step of rotating the roller about an axis that is concentric with the roller periphery.